Arc-quenching heavy-duty circuit-breakers are known from the prior art. A flow of gas (quenching gas, typically SF6) which has been heated by the arc can occur in a such as this. A hot-gas flow such as this can produce considerable pressures and, if it strikes an element which is sensitive to hot gas and/or to gas pressure and may possibly be provided in the heavy-duty circuit-breaker, can damage or destroy an element such as this. Damage to or destruction of an element such as this can lead to malfunctions of the heavy-duty circuit-breaker, or even to failure.
An arc-quenching gas-blast switch provided with a high-pressure reservoir is known from DE 12 71 241, whose arc contact tube can be moved along the switching chamber axis via sliding seals on bearings. During the disconnection process, the arc contact tube is disconnected by the erosion pin, and the quenching gas can expand out of the high-pressure reservoir via a blow-off valve into the switch.